Mythological Scene
- Artist: Titian
- Date: probably 1530-1600
- Medium: oil on wood
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
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About this artwork
This "Mythological Scene" painted in the Italian north is typical of the kind of mythological scene made for learned, private patrons in Venice that Titian helped pioneer. Cupid raises his arrow to pierce a woman embracing a youth who holds a golden apple. The central couple may be Hippomenes and Atalanta or Adonis and Venus - it's one of those two possible interpretations.
Look at the background scenes on either side, they relate to the legend of Adonis. To the right, Myrrha is driven from her father's house after being seduced by him. She calls on the gods for help, turns into a myrrh tree and gives birth to Adonis. On the left, you see Adonis' death as he's attacked by a boar. The stories of Adonis and Atalanta may be connected in this painting because Venus tells the story of Atalanta to Adonis in Ovid's Metamorphoses.
We don't know for certain who painted this picture, but it bears a resemblance to Titian's style. It's unlikely to be by him, though. It was probably made sometime between 1530 and 1600 using oil on wood.
See it in person
Mythological Scene hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
